Potato-digger



(N0 Mo POTATO BIGGER No. 407,928. Patented July 30, 1889.

% Mdk w Asa/wick MW UNITED STATES FFICE.

DANIEL Y. HALIIOCK, OF SOUTHOIJD, NEXV YORK.

POTATO-BIGGER.

SIECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,928, dated July 30, 1889.

Application filed November 10, 1888. Serial No. 290.429. (N0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL Y. I-IALLOCK, of Southold, in the county of Suifolk and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Diggers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to'theletters of reference marked thereon,making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is an elevation in perspective of my improved potato-digger with its handles broken off; Fig. 2, a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a sectional detail in line a: on of Fig. 2 Fig. i, a vertical longitudinal section taken centrally through the middle of the share and standard, illustrating the combination therewith of the guiding-blade; and Fig. 5, a'plan view illustrating a modification in form of the lateral screens.

Similar letters indicate like parts in all of the figures.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of potato-diggers which are constructed with a share or shovel and with sifting-fingers, whereby the tubers thrown up with the soil are automatically separated therefrom as the machine advances.

It consists in the novel devices combined in the construction of theimplement, as hereinafter particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the beam, B B the handles, and C the standard, of the machine.

The standard 0 is constructed of sheet metal, preferably of steel, angular in crosssection. Its upper end is cut open or notched in its angle to form two ears or side plates d d, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) adapted to embrace between them the beam A, to which they are secured by two bolts, the first 6, at the front, serving as a pivot upon which the standard may swing so as to vary its angle of inclination with reference to the beam, and consequently the depth of the furrow which the point or share attached thereto will cut. The second bolt f admits of being pierced in the rear end of each side plate d, or through an extended slot as an equivalent, to hold fast the standard at the angle to which it may be adjusted, the fastening being made secure in the customary manner by a nut upon the bolt. The lower end of the standard C is fitted with a share G, shaped like a boot-vamp, and which, conforming to the standard in cross-section, is firmly bolted thereon. side edges of this share are deeply notched, as at H H, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 4,) so that while the upper portion of the soil is thrown off at either side by the diverging faces of the share and the lateral rods S S the lower portion of the soil raised by ihe point of the share is permitted to pass directly back through the notches and between the upper horizontal rods R R, hereinafter more fully described.

A thin flat metallic guiding-blade or center-board I (see Figs. 2 and 4) is bolted to a bracket-plate J, Fig. 4, made fast by bolts or rivets to the under side of the point or share G, in the middle thereof, said guiding-blade or center-board being thereby made to extend rearwardly from the inner face of the share in a vertical plane bisecting the angle formed by the two diverging sides of the share. The lower edge of this guiding-blade is preferably made to project somewhat below the level of the point, but it is adjustable by means of slots at m therein, through which pass the bolts '22 'n, by which it is made fast to the bracket-plate J.

The guiding-blade serves to steady and hold the implement in a straight line during its forward movement by preventing it from sheering off to the one side or the other.

To facilitate the operator in regulating the depth to which the point of the share G shall enter the soil as the implement advances, a wheel L is mounted centrally under the beam immediately in the rear of the guiding-blade I, in a line therewith, being pivoted between the two arms of a forked standard P, made fast at its upper end to the standard C, carrying the share G. This rollerL serves as a fulcrum upon which the point G may be readily swung up or down in a vertical plane by means of the handles B B. A series of two or more parallel rods B R are secured by any convenient method under each side of the point or share G, to project rearwardly therefrom in a horizontal plane immediately below the notch H in the edge of the share, so that the soil delivered rearwardly through the notch shall fall directlyupon said rods. Another The set of rods or fingers S S (see Figs. 1 and 2) are secured one above the other under the share on each side thereof, immediately above each notch H, and are made to curve outwardly from the share, so as to divert and carry out laterally the surface-soil, vines, &c., which may be carried up upon the share and deliver them upon lateral screens, as next described. These lateral screens T T are each formed of a series of parallel rods or fingers a a a, horizontally disposed and attached at their front ends each to a crossbar or head U, projecting horizontally at a right angle from the lower end of a curved bar V, by means of which it is attached to the beam of the plow in a line with or slightly in front of the point of the share G, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The attachment of the bar V to the beam may be made at any suitable point in the length of the beam and in any suitable manner. These screens T T are severally adjusted so as to be carried or drawn, in the customary operation of the digsame will be separated thereby from the po' tatoes, which may pass back with it.

The surface-soil, vines, and trash will be thrown out laterally, in the customary manner, by the share and fingers S S, and will fall directly upon the lateral screens T T, which will operate effectually to separate the potatoes and will deliver them in a clean condition at the rear.

I claim as my invention The combination, with the beam and plowshare of a potato-digger, of a supporting-bar V, attached to the beam, and a lateral horizontal screen T, suspended by said bar and extending alongside of the share above its lower edge and from the point thereof rearwardly, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

D. YVHALLOOK.

WVitnesses:

A. N. J ESBERA, E. M. WATsoN. 

